ANC Today 

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Volume 6, No. 33, 25-31 August 2006

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THIS WEEK:

* Letter from the President: Tomorrow will be better than today 
* Nuclear energy and Iran: Balancing nuclear rights and obligations 
* HIV and AIDS: Confrontation won't help common struggle against AIDS 
* Achievement Awards: Search on for the best-performing ANC structures 

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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Tomorrow will be better than today

Many of the biggest challenges our country faces revolve around the performance
of our economy and the equitable distribution of the wealth we produce. It is
therefore vitally necessary that we continue to pay the closest uninterrupted
attention to these issues.

Among our critical challenges are the reduction and eradication of poverty,
unemployment and underdevelopment, addressing race and gender inequality in the
distribution of opportunity, income and wealth, and creating the caring and
equitable society that will guarantee the dignity of all our people, including
children, the youth, women and people with disabilities, within the context of a
truly democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous society.

To achieve these goals requires that we have a strong economy that generates the
resources we need. For this reason, throughout our 12 years of democracy, we
have paid close attention to the performance of the economy.

In this regard, among other things, we have sought to ensure that:

* our economy grows at high and sustainable rates, essentially driven by higher
investment levels; 
* we raise the level of domestic savings to provide the investment capital we
need; 
* we manage the public finances in a manner that would ensure that the public
sector, including the state-owned enterprises, contributes to the growth of our
economy, while doing everything possible to meet the needs of the people,
especially the poor; 
* we restructure and modernise our economy to improve its international
competitiveness, among other things to protect our domestic industry, and
increase the export earnings we need to finance the intermediate and capital
goods we require to expand our production capacity; 
* in this regard, we encourage the growth of the manufacturing and service
sectors, resulting in a relative reduction of our dependence on the production
and export of raw materials; 
* we increase productivity, relying on better skilled workers and the
introduction of modern technology; 
* we transform the "second economy", elevating it to achieve the level of
development enjoyed by the "first economy"; and,
* we reduce the levels of poverty and the historic wealth and income imbalances
in our country, rapidly expanding the domestic market. 

The 86th Ordinary General Meeting of our Reserve Bank was held on 23 August
2006. Related to this meeting, the Bank, which is independent from government,
issued its invaluable 2006 Annual Economic Report. Like its predecessors, this
Report provides extensive 'Information About the Performance of our Economy',
placing it within the international setting. It therefore helps greatly to
assist us to assess whether we are succeeding, or otherwise, to meet the goals
we have set ourselves.

The 2006 Report communicates the good news that we are indeed doing very well in
this regard. It says that we are making steady progress towards the achievement
of our objectives, based on the healthy economic fundamentals that we need to
enable us to move forward. At the same time, this indicates that we have
established the very firm foundation we need to enable us to perform even better
than we have done so far, which we can and must do.

Below, rather than attempt to provide what might prove to be poor summaries, we
quote excerpts from the Report. These convey the good news that should bring all
of us a great sense of satisfaction, as well as give us the inspiration and
energy we need to accelerate our advance towards the achievement of the goals we
have set ourselves, revolving around the goal of a better life for all.

The Report says: "South Africa recorded a real growth rate of almost 5 percent
in 2005 - the strongest since 1984. However, whereas the growth spurt in 1984
was short lived, being straddled by years of economic contraction, the economic
expansion in 2005 formed part of a sustained and robust upswing which to date
has been the longest in the South African business cycle history...What is
remarkable about the current upward phase...is that growth has been sustained
for 27 quarters...

"The South African economy became less dependent on commodities over the past
quarter of a century as the services sector expanded in importance.
Nevertheless, the recent buoyancy of commodity prices supported income,
bolstered share prices and raised business and consumer confidence...

"The real output of the sub-sector that manufactures motor vehicle and transport
equipmentincreased from 2004 to 2005, gaining further momentum from the second
half of 2005 to the first half of 2006. Output in this sector benefited not only
from the solid demand for new cars in the domestic market but also from rising
exports...In addition, domestic demand for steel in the construction industry
also strengthened.

"Real value added by the construction sector rose at an average annualised rate
of 8 percent during the current upward phase of the business cycle,
significantly stronger than the average rate of 2.5 percent recorded in the
previous upward phase of 1993-1996. Following brisk growth rates of 10.75.and 10
percent recorded in 2004 and 2005, respectively, growth in the real value added
by the construction sector accelerated to an annualised rate of 13.5.percent in
the first half of 2006. This was mainly driven by robust activity in the
construction of residential and non-residential buildings...

"The expansion of capital formation in the manufacturing sector during the first
half of 2006 reflected the high rates of capacity utilisation in the sector and
the confidence of manufacturers in the prospects for the industry in the medium
term. The planned expansion of capacity in some sub-sectors such as cement
manufacturing, aimed to relieve the backlog in construction supplies and prepare
capacity ahead of government's infrastructure drive. In the trade sector the
expansion in retail space continued as developers, mindful of the continued
buoyancy of domestic demand, added to shopping malls...

"A gratifying trend over the past eighteen months was that growth in real fixed
capital formation generally outpaced the other final expenditure components.
This strong growth was widely dispersed, with both the public corporations and
private business enterprises raising their capital expenditure across a range of
sectors and activities, from electricity and communication to manufacturing and
construction...

"Growth in real gross fixed capitital formation accelerated from an annualised
rate of 7.75 percent in the second half of 2005 to 10.25 percent in the first
half of 2006. All three institutional sectors, i.e. private business
enterprises, public corporations as well as general government, stepped up real
outlays on capital goods. On an annual basis, growth in real gross fixed capital
formation ranged between 8 and 9.75.percent in each of the past three calendar
years.

"This strong performance lifted the ratio of gross fixed capital formation to
gross domestic product from 15.75 percent in 2003 to 17.25 percent in
2005...(During 2005), the upward trend in fixed capital formation pushed up the
value of imported marchinery and electrical equipment by 15 percent. These
trends were sustained in the first half of 2006 when the import bill was raised
further on account of the higher value of imported crude oil as domestic oil
inventories were replenished...

"All the components of domestic final demand recorded vigorous increases over
the past year-and-a-half. Real Disposable Income of the household sector
maintained a robust rate of increase, buoyed by rising employment and wage
levels, higher transfers from government to households in support of the poor,
and some tax relief to individuals...

"Real final consumption expenditure by households...accelerated from an
annualised rate of growth of 6.5 percent in 2004 to 7 percent in 2005 and 7.25
percent in the first half of 2006. The strong performance in household
consumption expenditure can be attributed to real outlays on durable and semi-
durable goods, both of which continued to increase at double-digit rates from
around 2004.

"The buoyancy in real final consumption expenditure by households was anchored
by relatively strong real outlays on durable and semi-durable goods. During the
past eighteen months, expenditure benefited from high consumer confidence; a
lower interest rate environment; and stable prices of most goods, with price
reductions in categories with high import content, which benefited from the
strong Rand... Expenditure on new cars accounted for about 43 percent of durable
goods purchases over the past eighteen months...(NB: more equitable wealth
distribution, a fundamental condition for the creation of a non-racial and non-
sexist society, which has benefited Africans in particular, has clearly
increased domestic demand for houses, cars and consumer durables).

"Increases in salaries and wages, which exceeded inflation, and the employment
of more workers, underpinned growth in real disposable income of households. In
addition, personal tax relief measures as well as increases in the threshold for
tax exemption were introduced in the 2006/07 Budget. government transfers to the
household sector, such as child grants and pension and disability grants, also
continued increasing in real terms...

"The deficit on the current account of the balance payments widened from 4
percent of gross domestic product in the first half of 2005 to more than 6
percent in the first half of 2006...(But) more than a quarter of the advanced
economies of the world, and a third of the other emerging-market and developing
countries recorded current-account deficits exceeding 6 percent of gross
domestic product in 2005, and many of them have been doing so for a number of
years. (NB: intermediate and capital goods, which will improve our productive
capacity, accounted for the larger part of the import bill.)

(NB: By the middle of 2006, with reference to the emerging markets experiencing
current account deficits, the currencies of Turkey, New Zealand, Hungary and
South Africa had depreciated to virtually the same position relative to the US$.
The Australian Dollar (AUD) was next best, recording less depreciation than
these, with the Brazilian Real showing even more resilience compared to the AUD
and the rest.)

"(However), in addition, South Africa maintained a low ratio of foreign debts to
exports, was in a position to secure long-term foreign finance for much of its
capital goods imports, and attracted sufficient foreign investor interest not
only to finance the current account deficit in the first half of 2006, but also
to add to its reserves of gold and foreign exchange...

"financing from abroad came in various forms. Foreign direct investment activity
continued...In 2005 portfolio capital flowed into South Africa in the form of
equity investment...The inflow of share capital gained further momentum in the
first 4.5 months of 2006 as the prices of commodities and shares soared.
However, in May 2006 international investor sentiment turned away from emerging-
market securities and currencies...But by July 2006, when local bond yields had
risen significantly, (foreign investors) developed a strong appetite for South
African bonds...

"The overall balance of payments remained in surplus during the past year,
allowing the South African Reserve Bank (Bank) to raise its gold and foreign
exchange reserves from US$18.7 billion in June 2005 to US$24 billion in June
2006. During most of this period the exchange value of the Rand moved broadly
sideways but, as already indicated, it then depreciated significantly from the
second week in May 2006...

"While EMPLOYMENT trended higher during the period under review, average wage
settlements remained moderate, amounting to around 6.25 percent in both 2005 and
the first half of 2006. This, together with the firm exchange rate during most
of this period, contributed to benign inflation...

"Despite extraordinary increases in energy prices and commodity prices in
general, inflation in South Africa remained benign over the past year. CPIX
inflation...declined from 9.3 percent in 2002 to 3.9 percent in 2005. By June
2006, twelve-month CPIX inflation had been maintained inside the target range of
3 to 6 percent for 34 consecutive months. The consistent application of
disciplined monetary and fiscal policies, as well as waning inflation
expectations, contributed to the reduction in inflationary pressures...

"Year-on-year growth in compensation of employees remained around 9 percent for
most of 2005 and the first half of 2006. On a net basis, a considerable number
of JOBS were created in the economy during this period, alongside increases in
wage rates and salaries paid to workers...With the exception of 2002, (wage)
settlement rates have consistently exceeded overall consumer price inflation
during the past decade, contributing to a rise in workers' real take-home pay.

"Overall employment growth gained momentum from 2004...The Labour Force Survey
indicates that well over a million additional jobs were created over the four-
year period to September 2005, with as many as 660,000 jobs in the year to
September 2005 alone... Narrower indicators of employment also point to the
creation of more jobs in the recent past...The level of enterprise-surveyed
employment in the formal non-agricultural sector rose by 4,5 percent, or
approximately 316,000 jobs, over the twelve months to March 2006...

"According to the Investec Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) employment sub-index
in July 2006, accelerating new sales orders and strong growth in output in the
manufacturing sector had also translated into expectations of employment gains
going forward. The strength and duration of the expansion in economic activity
were reflected in the development of capacity constraints in various sectors of
the economy, accentuating the deficiency of appropriate skills in the economy...

"In an environment of positive economic sentiment characterised by robust real
economic activity, lower inflation, a relativity low level of interest rates and
soaring prices of financial assets and real estate, growth in the broadly
defined money supply (M3) strengthened substantially during 2005 and in the
first half of 2006.

"Positive wealth effects and buoyant transactions needs bolstered growth in
money supply, and were reinforced by increased monetisation as employment rose
and access to banking services improved...Over the twelve months to June 2006,
household M3 deposits expanded by a solid 12.1 percent, reflecting factors such
as rising real disposable income, in turn influenced by rising employment levels
and sizeable increases in salaries and wages...

"government finances continued to be characterised by strong growth in tax
revenue, consistent with the robust performance of the economy and the
continuous pursuit of greater efficiency in the collection of taxes. In fiscal
2005/06 the national government deficit amounted to less than 0.5 percent of
gross domestic product, while for the public sector as a whole a financial
surplus was registered for the first time on record. The budgeted projections
provide for an easier fiscal stance in 2006/07 as expenditure on infrastructure
and service delivery is raised, while remaining within the boundaries of
sustainability...

"In real terms, the increase in national government expenditure in fiscal
2005/06 amounted to 8,9 percent, demonstrating government's commitment to higher
economic growth through increased public spending on economic infrastructure as
well as social and economic services. Real growth in targeted areas of
expenditure, together with declining interest costs, contributed strongly
towards improved growth in fiscal 2005/06. Government's non-interest spending
during the same period was also closely aligned with original budget
expectations.

"The marginally lower-than-budgeted expenditure in fiscal 2005/06 can partly be
attributed to lower interest payments on national government debt. Prudent debt
management, lower borrowing requirements, lower global interest rates and the
appreciation of the Rand, all contributed towards the lower payments. Interest
payments increased by 4.5 percent in fiscal 2005/06, just over half of the
originally budgeted increase of 8.9 percent. This released additional resources
for further economic development and poverty relief initiatives...

"spending on community and social services remains the most important and
largest functional category of government spending and is projected to amount to
53.2 percent of the projected expenditure by consolidated national and
provincial governments and social security funds in fiscal 2008/09.

"Spending on these services is the foundation for future growth through human
capital development, alongside the provision of direct support to the poor. This
type of spending is expected to increase at an average annual rate of 11.6
percent over the medium term, with housing and community services clearly deemed
to be a priority area...

"Over the medium term - i.e. 2006/07 to 2008/09 - spending on infrastructure by
the public sector is expected to accelerate strongly to a cumulative amount of
R372 billion. Several investment programmes, industrial policy initiatives and
regulatory reforms aim to ensure that both infrastructure capacity and improved
economic performance support accelerated economic growth and higher living
standards. The accelerated spending on infrastructure and other capital goods by
the public sector will be partly financed through greater recourse to the
capital market...

"During the past year, the improvement in the performance and resilience of the
South African economy was recognised by two credit-rating agencies, that
upgraded the country's sovereign debt rating from BBB to BBB+..."

In his Address to the 86th Ordinary General Meeting of shareholders of our
Reserve Bank, on 23 August 2006, Bank Governor Tito Mboweni said: "We live in an
ever-changing global environment, an environment that is characterised by
opportunities and hope, but also fraught with risks. In this environment the
South African Reserve Bank must implement its mandate and manage the associated
risks to ensure that South Africans benefit from opportunities emanating from a
changing world. Today, I am pleased to report on another successful year in the
eighty-five-year history of the Bank."

The 2006 Annual Economic Report of the Reserve Bank tells an inspiring story of
yet another successful year in the twelve-year history of democratic South
Africa, which continues to advance towards the realisation of the goal of a
better life for all, within a global environment that is characterised by
opportunities and hope, but also fraught with risks.

This Report must give us the energy and impetus to accelerate our reconstruction
and development process - achieving higher and sustained investment-driven
economic growth rates, restructuring and modernising our economy, especially
manufacturing, increasing the skills and incomes of our working people, and
sharing our national wealth equitably, and thus further expand our domestic
market.

What is contained in the 2006 Annual Economic Report of the Reserve Bank says
that what we have accomplished in the last 12 years confirms that we can achieve
these objectives, giving real meaning to the conviction among our people that we
have entered our Age of Hope.

Thabo Mbeki

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NUCLEAR ENERGY AND IRAN 

Balancing nuclear rights and obligations

In the week that Iran responded to a proposal from the five permanent members of
the Security Council and Germany regarding its nuclear programme, the 9th Joint
Bilateral Commission between South Africa and Iran reiterated the inalienable
right of all signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to use
nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

In a joint communiqué released after the meeting of the bilateral commission on
22-23 August, South African Foreign Affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and
her Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, reiterated the basic and
inalienable right of all NPT states to develop research, production and use of
nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination.

According to the communiqué: "They reaffirmed that nothing in the Treaty should
be interpreted in a way that inhibits or restricts the right of all parties to
the Treaty to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. It was also
reiterated that States' choices and decisions in the field of peaceful uses of
nuclear energy and their fuel cycle policies should be respected."

"Both sides underlined that all issues on safeguards and verification, including
those of Iran, should be resolved within the framework of the IAEA
[International Atomic Energy Agency], and should be based on technical and legal
grounds. South Africa emphasised the importance for the IAEA to continue its
work in resolving the Iranian nuclear issue and in this context encouraged the
Islamic Republic of Iran to continue to cooperate closely with the Agency.

"Both sides strongly emphasised that diplomacy and dialogue through peaceful
means must continue with a view to finding a long-term solution to the problem
with due consideration to the rights, obligations, needs and aspirations of all
the parties concerned. Both sides reiterated their commitment to the non-
proliferation of all weapons of mass destruction and to their complete
elimination."

While the focus is currently on the situation in Iran, and the response
particularly of the members of UN Security Council, the issue has broader
ramifications for the international management of nuclear energy, weapons and
material.

This matter is covered extensively in the latest edition of the ANC's political
discussion journal, Umrabulo 26, in an article by ANC National Executive
Committee member and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad.

In an article entitled 'A balance of rights and obligations', Pahad says "the
current impasse over the Iranian nuclear programme has brought to the fore a
significant dilemma for the non-proliferation regime in general, but even more
so for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which remains the foundation
of the regime. This dilemma has been brought about primarily due to the unequal
implementation of the delicately balanced rights and obligations contained in
the NPT itself."

Iran is one of the original signatories and became a state party to the NPT in
1970. South Africa became a state party to the NPT in 1991.

Says Pahad: "Any consideration of the current debate surrounding Iran's nuclear
programme needs to take into account the international legal regime established
under the provisions of the NPT and trends that have emerged during the past few
years that threaten the continued credibility of one of the world's most widely-
recognised multilateral instruments. The NPT contains a number of carefully-
balanced, inter-linked, legally-binding rights and obligations."

The treaty has three main pillars:

* Nuclear non-proliferation: The treaty seeks to prevent the proliferation of
nuclear weapons. It requires each nuclear-weapon state (NWS) party to the treaty
not to transfer any nuclear weapons. It requires each non-nuclear-weapon state
(NNWS) party to the treaty not to receive or manufacture nuclear weapons. It
requires all non-nuclear-weapon states to accept safeguards by concluding with
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) an agreement to prevent the
diversion of nuclear energy from peaceful uses to nuclear weapons. 
* Peaceful uses of nuclear energy: Nothing in the treaty shall be interpreted as
affecting the 'inalienable right of all the Parties to the treaty to develop
research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without
discrimination'. The parties also undertake to facilitate, and have the right to
participate in the fullest possible exchange of equipment, materials and
scientific and technological information for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy
* Nuclear disarmament: Parties to the treaty also undertake to pursue
negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to the cessation of
the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a
treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective
international control. 

Thus, a fundamental bargain contained in the treaty relates to the rights and
obligations of the non-nuclear weapon states, namely that these states forfeit
the right to develop nuclear weapons in return for the 'inalienable right' to
develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
The other part of the bargain is the explicit undertaking by the nuclear weapon
states towards nuclear disarmament and the elimination of all nuclear weapons.

As a non-nuclear weapon state party to the NPT, Iran has undertaken not to
develop nuclear weapons. But in return, the treaty provides an 'inalienable'
right to Iran to develop and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. This
right includes the right to develop domestic nuclear fuel cycle capabilities for
exclusively peaceful purposes.

Since 1974, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been implementing
NPT safeguards in Iran. However, in March 2003, the agency reported that Iran
had failed in a number of instances over a period of 18 years to meet its
obligations with respect to the reporting of nuclear material, its processing
and use, as well as the declaration of facilities where such material had been
processed and stored.

Since the initial report to the IAEA Board of Governors on this matter, the IAEA
Director General, Mohamed ElBaradei, has submitted various written reports on
developments related to the implementation of safeguards in Iran. In these
reports, the agency confirmed that Iran had taken a number of corrective
actions. As a result of these corrective actions and other activities, the
agency was able, by November 2004, to confirm certain aspects of Iran's
declarations related to conversion activities and laser enrichment.

However, the situation has deteriorated since then to a point where the UN
Security Council has threatened Iran with sanctions if it does not freeze its
uranium enrichment programme by the end of August. This stance does not only
affect Iran. It also has serious implications for the NPT. South Africa has long
been cautioning against taking positions that undermine the basis of the
legally-binding international framework on nuclear non-proliferation.

"South Africa has consistently called on Iran to clarify all outstanding
safeguards issues and questions raised by the IAEA in the various reports of the
Director General. South Africa believes that the Iranian nuclear issue can only
be resolved peacefully and in a sustainable way within the framework of the
IAEA, that remains the only internationally-recognised credible authority
responsible for the implementation and verification of safeguards agreements,"
Pahad says.

He continues: "South Africa has consistently reiterated the basic and
inalienable right of all states to develop atomic energy for peaceful purposes
in conformity with Articles I and II of the NPT. South Africa cannot support any
restrictions on the inalienable right of states that fully comply with their
obligations under the NPT. While we respect the sovereign right of any state
that may decide not to exercise its rights, the right to the peaceful
application of the atom remains an inalienable one. This right includes the
development of a domestic nuclear fuel cycle under the requisite safeguards as
required under the NPT to provide assurances regarding the exclusive peaceful
nature of such programmes.

"Although South Africa recognises the importance of confidence-building
measures, South Africa has, together with members of the Non-Aligned Movement,
as well as other board members, including Russia and China, continually
emphasised the importance of distinguishing between the legal obligations of
Iran (the implementation of its safeguards agreement with the agency) and the
voluntary confidence-building measures that Iran has adopted to demonstrate its
good faith...

"At the same time, South Africa has consistently reiterated its deep concern
over the slow pace of progress towards nuclear disarmament. South Africa remains
steadfast in its opposition to the development or continued retention of nuclear
weapons by some states contrary to their nuclear disarmament obligations under
the NPT. Likewise, South Africa remains concerned about the continued operation
of unsafeguarded nuclear facilities for which no assurances can be given in
terms of the non-diversion to non-peaceful purposes, including by those states
that have chosen to remain outside the NPT.

"Despite recent developments pertaining to the Iranian nuclear programme and the
crisis and confrontation that has arisen, it is important for all parties to
continue to exercise the maximum restraint and to work for a sustainable and
peaceful resolution to this matter through dialogue and negotiations.

"Any sustainable solution to this issue should, by necessity, encompass a
comprehensive recognition of the rights, obligations and aspirations, including
the need for security, stability and the economic development of all the parties
concerned."
 
MORE INFORMATION:

Umrabulo 26, August 2006 
http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/pubs/umrabulo/umrabulo26/art14.html

Communiqué of the 9th Iran-SA Bilateral Commission 
http://www.dfa.gov.za/docs/2006/iran0823a.htm

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HIV AND AIDS

Confrontation won't help common struggle against AIDS

The increasing resort to confrontation by some organisations and political
parties over South Africa's response to the AIDS epidemic is not only
unjustified; it also threatens to undermine the progress made in implementing a
comprehensive response to one of the greatest challenges our society has faced.

Whatever criticisms anyone may have of South Africa's policies on HIV and AIDS,
whether valid or not, the current climate of heightened discord does not serve
the interests of the common struggle against the epidemic.

This climate is fuelled by a sustained effort to misrepresent the positions and
programmes of government and to vilify the Minister of Health, Manto Tshabalala-
Msimang, for implementing what are the collective decisions of cabinet. This
effort has been joined through the opportunistic intervention of political
forces seeking to gain whatever advantage they can from the suffering of the
South African people.

Both government and the ANC have a responsibility to engage with all
stakeholders and give proper consideration to all honest criticism. This does
not mean that the full implementation of democratically-mandated policies should
be derailed by a climate of conflict and acrimony.

As the leading force for social and economic transformation, the democratic
movement has a responsibility to work for the creation of an environment in
which all South Africans, and all stakeholders, can work together in partnership
to tackle not only AIDS, but also the other urgent challenges facing our people.

It was in this spirit that the ANC last week criticised comments by members of
the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and the UN Special Envoy on AIDS in Africa,
Stephen Lewis, attacking Tshabalala-Msimang. The ANC said that whatever
criticisms they may have of government policies, they had "no right to
personalise these policies".

"In implementing South Africa's comprehensive programme to combat HIV and AIDS,
Tshabalala-Msimang is implementing the decisions of the South African
government. These decisions are based on the policy positions of the African
National Congress, overwhelmingly endorsed by the people of South Africa in
successive national elections," it said.

It similarly condemned the destructive behaviour and abusive utterance of TAC
members at the South African government's exhibition at the 16th International
AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada. Officials were allegedly threatened and
property damaged.

It said that while such confrontational posturing may be necessary for the
maintenance of the TAC's international profile, it does nothing to strengthen
the country's comprehensive response to HIV and AIDS.

"The ANC reaffirms its support for government's Comprehensive Plan for
Management, Care and Treatment of HIV and AIDS, and for an approach that aims to
combat HIV and AIDS in an all-embracing and integrated manner.

"The ANC calls on all South Africans to work together to confront the AIDS
epidemic by working to strengthen the implementation of this plan, concentrating
on prevention efforts, and ensuring that all South Africans who need it have
access to adequate treatment and care."

As a nation, we need to actively address the prevailing climate of confrontation
and misrepresentation in public discourse around HIV and AIDS, so that we can
work together in partnership to address the serious challenges we face in a
spirit of cooperation and sincere engagement.
 

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Achievement Awards

Search on for the best-performing ANC structures

The search is on to find the best-performing ANC, Women's League and Youth
League branches and group of local councillors as part of the annual ANC
Achievement Awards.

All ANC branches, local councillors and league branches have been invited to
submit nominations for consideration by 31 October 2006. This annual competition
was established in 2000 to promote a greater focus on the organisational task of
building branches, strengthening local government and building the leagues. The
awards aim to highlight the features of strong branches and councils and to
reward best practice within the movement.

The following awards will be made:

* Sol Plaatje Award for the best performing ANC branch, 
* Charlotte Maxeke Award for the best ANC Women's League branch, 
* Anton Lembede Award for the best ANC Youth League branch, 
* ZK Matthews Award for the best performing group of ANC councillors. 

The awards are named after outstanding cadres of the ANC, whose individual
qualities of commitment and selflessness are an example to every ANC member.
During their lives, each of these people made an immeasurable contribution to
the struggle for freedom and a better life.

MORE INFORMATION:

ANC Annual Achievement Awards 
http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/awards/

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